standing in the sunlight (laughing)
by Sara Jaye
Summary: Sometimes it doesn't matter who wins the race.


"Mist, come on! The water feels great!"

"I'm coming!" Mist finished folding her dress and placed her boots on top to keep it from blowing away. It was a rare day that the mercenaries didn't have any battles to fight or strategies to plan, so everyone was off doing their own thing for once. Even Soren had let Ike talk him into going to town.

It was also the first time that August it _wasn't_ raining. It was hot, dry and the perfect day for a swim. Once her things were safely in place, she took Rolf's hand and they dove into the cool, crisp lake together.

"Aah, much better!" Rolf grinned, letting go of her hand. "Race you to the other end!"

"Rolf, wait! We just got in, let's just enjoy it for a few minutes first," Mist said. Rolf rolled his eyes.

"You're just afraid I'm gonna beat you. Which I will!"

"Hey, remember what happened last time? _I_ beat _you_!" Mist laughed, splashing him a little. Actually, their last race had been over a year ago, the last time they'd had any free time to just be kids together. But Mist clearly remembered winning...possibly. _Maybe it was a tie?_ "And I wouldn't let you win this time, either," she continued,

"Like you'd need to _let_ me! I'm taller and stronger now, I'm more of a man than a boy," Rolf boasted, flexing a little. "That's what Uncle Shinon says, anyway."

"Well, I'm more a woman than a girl now! So I could still beat you!" Well, she _hoped_. Her body had gone from mostly slender to filling out in...certain places. Places she knew Rolf was trying his hardest not to stare at.

"I thought you just wanted to enjoy the water for a few minutes," Rolf teased, splashing her like she'd just done to him a few minutes ago. "You wanna race me? You sure about that?" Mist didn't even shriek, she and Rolf had been splashing each other so long it wasn't even worth faking it. Besides, the water felt good!

"Maybe I changed my mind!" She grinned. "First one to reach the other side of the lake, um..."

"Does the other's chores for a week?" Rolf offered. Mist shook her head.

"We always trade chores, it wouldn't make much difference," she said. "Loser makes the winner an apple pie?" Rolf snorted.

"Wrong brother, Mist. If you were racing against Oscar, maybe."

"Okay, okay." Mist sighed. "Coming up with prizes was easier in the old days. Unless you'd still race me for the last cookie or the fluffiest pillow?"

"No way! Boyd always steals the last apple and none of the pillows are fluffy anymore," Rolf said. "Maybe we should just race and see who wins but not have a prize. We're getting kind of old for that stuff anyway."

"Yeah, you're right," Mist sighed. "I'm gonna be fourteen in a few months, after all. But we can still have fun racing!" They got into position, feet less than an inch away from the bank. Rolf smirked, drops of water glistening on his face and in his hair.

"Ready to lose?"

"Never," she whispered, and they were off. It was a close race, Rolf had indeed grown stronger and faster and Mist was relieved to discover the extra curves she'd gained hadn't ruined her speed. Every now and then one would splash the other playfully, or try to nudge the other off course; by the time they reached the other side of the lake Mist wasn't sure who'd reached there first. And she didn't care.

"Um...I think you won?" she said once she caught her breath. "I touched the bank, definitely, but I don't know when."

"I think _you_ did. I just remember all the splashing and bumping into each other," Rolf said, shaking his hair out. Mist pushed her own hair over one shoulder and wrung it out; their underclothes were probably see-through by now and it was a miracle they hadn't fallen off in all the excitement.

"Maybe we tied!"

"Maybe. Actually, I don't care who won this time." Rolf smiled.

"Neither do I, to be honest," Mist said. "That was fun! All summer we've been too busy to go swimming and if we weren't busy it was raining." She snapped her fingers. "Let's go back to camp and make some sandwiches, then we can come back and stay here until it's dark!"

"Yeah!" Rolf took her hand and they climbed back onto the banks. "Mist?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad we've got the whole day off to ourselves." He smiled, drops of water still clinging to his hair and skin, and Mist couldn't help the warm and fuzzy feeling that spread throughout her chest. It was always nice to have a reminder that no matter how much had changed, they were still as close as they'd always been.

"Me too, Rolf."

They got dressed, went to camp, packed a picnic basket and spent the rest of the day at the lake having races nobody won or lost.


End file.
